The missing Ingredient
by Zsazsette
Summary: Due to her feeling terribly lonely, Regina tries a love charm in order to find her Mr. Right - but instead of Mr. Right, Emma steps through her door ...
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:**

Due to her feeling terribly lonely, Regina tries a love charm in order to find her Mr. Right - but instead of Mr. Right, Emma steps through her door ..

* * *

**Chapter I**

* * *

"Gold", Regina said harshly while stepping through the door of Rumples shop. "I need to speak to you." She steps in front of his desk, while he just smiles mildly.

"I tried a charm ... It just won't work. I don't know why. It's strange."

"What charm?" Rumple asks without any sign of interest.

Regina puts her head down. She knows that it is unavoidable to tell him what this is all about if she really wants Rumple to help her. "A love charm", she says quietly.

Rumple giggles. "A love charm?" He walks towards Regina. "I didn't know you were feeling that lonely."

"Well, I am," Regina requites. "Anyway, that's none of your business. I just want you to make it work." She takes a small piece of paper out of her jacket. "This is it," she says to Rumple. "Please have a look if there's anything wrong with the spell."

Rumple takes the piece of paper from Regina. "Well, let me see ... I think I know why the spell doesn't work." He takes a pencil and crosses a word. "All you need to do is replace this word with ... That one," he says while writing the correct word on the paper. He hands it over to Regina, smirking. "I didn't know you were that desperate, dear Regina", he says while walking around the brunette woman. "Anyway, it should be working now. I wish you all the best. Oh, and one more thing ... Try to imagine the kind of guy you'd like to make fall in love with you as clearly as you can while pronouncing that spell. It would be a pity if the man going wild for you wouldn't be your type at all. That's all you need to do, and the man of your dreams will be stepping through your door shortly after you pronounced the spell."

"I know," Regina requites with a strict tone, before she leaves Rumples shop without another word.

* * *

"Alright, this time it has to work," Regina says while sitting down on the floor of her living room. She lights a candle, closes her eyes and tries to imagine the kind of man she'd like to have falling in love with her. It doesn't take her long to know that she would like him to be a handsome, slim guy with blonde hair and an adorable smile. She'd want him to be her hero, the man who reads every single wish from her eyes and obeys everything she says. "Yes, that's what I want," Regina says to herself while folding apart the small piece of paper with the love charm on it. She starts reading it out loud, smiling to herself. She is sure that this spell will change her life.

When she is almost finished, suddenly the front door opens and Henry runs towards the living room.

"Mommy, mommy!" Henry screams. "Is it okay of I go to the movies with Emma?"

Regina finishes the last words of the love spell, then she sighs. "To the movies with Emma?" she repeats.

"Yeah," Henry replies. "There's a really cool action movie we wanna watch." Henry takes place in front of Regina. "What are you doing there?"

"Oh nothing, dear," Regina replies. "I was just ... meditating. You know, some time for myself." She smiles at Henry.

"Well okay, I'll be off then," Henry says. "I'll be home before bedtime." He rushes to the front door.

Regina blows out the candle. She has a good felling about the love charm. Now all she has to do is wait for the man of her dreams to step into her life ...

* * *

Later that night Henry comes though the front door, accompanied by his mother, Emma. He runs into Reginas' arms. "It was such a good movie!" he says. "We had a great time!"

"I'm happy about that," Regina requites. "Now, you better go to bed right away. It's already past your bedtime."

"Okay Mommy," Henry says and walks towards Regina to give her a kiss on the cheek. "Good night."

"Sleep well," Regina requited while touching his hair softly. Henry runs up the stairs and goes into his room, while Emma remains standing in the hall.

"Well," Regina says to Emma, "I think it's about time for you to go home now." Regina wonders why Emma hasn't left already. Usually the two women try to spend only as much time together as necessary.

Emma smiles at Regina. "I guess I'd like to stay a little longer," she says.

Regina frowns. Actually, Emma and Regina don't have lots to say to each other. If it weren't for Henry, they probably wouldn't talk to each other at all.

"I don't understand," Regina says while forcing herself to a mild smile. "Please, leave now." She walks towards the door and opens it, but Emma remains standing where she is.

Regina sighs deeply. "What's wrong?" she asks. "Normally you can't wait to leave my house."

Emma smiles at Regina, which makes almost makes Regina go insane. "Go now!"

"Too bad, " Emma says while walking slowly towards Regina. "I thought we could have a nice evening together. But ... I cannot force you to your happiness." Now standing in front of Regina, she moves close to the brunette, whispering into her ear, "Sleep well, beautiful," before she leaves the house.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter II**

* * *

"Gold!" Regina yells furiously, almost desperate, while stepping into Rumples' shop the next morning.

Rumple sighs. "Oh my."

"You tricked me!" Regina yells. "That spell ... It's out of control!"

"What do you mean?" Rumple asks.

"I was imagining the kind of guy whom I wished to step through my door last night," Regina explains. "And you know who it was that came through my door, didn't want to leave and called me beautiful?"

"Well, I guess I can't keep you from telling me," Rumple says in a bored tone.

"Emma! Emma Swan!" Regina says furiously.

Rumple can't help but giggle.

"I don't think that this is funny," Regina says. She sinks her head and then says quietly, "I guess I kind of ... Thought of ... Her... While pronouncing the spell."

Rumple laughs loudly. "You're always good for a surprise! I didn't know you had that sort of interest in our dear Miss Swan!"

"Don't be ridiculous," Regina says. "It was an accident. An accident I can't live with. So ... Do something. I need a counter spell."

"Well, I am afraid there is no counter spell for a situation like this," Rumple confesses. "You'll have to take care of that yourself."

"What do you mean?" Regina asks. "Do you mean I have to make her stop ... Loving me myself?" Now how should I do that?"

"That's in your hands now," Rumple says. "There once was a spell to make someone stop loving you, but I just don't recall what the missing ingredient is." He grins.

"You know exactly what it is," Regina yells at Rumple, her eyes opened widely.

"Maybe," Rumple requites. "I just like the idea of a madly-in-love Miss Swan going crazy about you, stalking you. I'd really love to see that, so I don't think I can recall the missing ingredient just now."

"Well," Regina says while trying to calm down, "I ... Beg you to find that ... Missing ingredient." She sinks her head and talks quietly "I would be very thankful." She can't believe herself that these words just came out of her mouth, but she is desperate. How on earth could she live with a love-sick Emma, following her everywhere she goes?

* * *

Regina leaves the shop. Outside, someone is already waiting for her.

"Hello, beautiful," Emma says. "I saw you stepping inside, so I thought I'd wait here. I can give you a ride home."

"No need, thank you," Regina says grumpily. "I can walk."

"Fine ... Then I'll come with you," Emma insists.

"Well ... I guess it's my fate and I can't keep you from doing it, anyway, since you are the Sheriff and whom else would I be calling to come and help me?" Regina starts walking, her hands put into her pockets.

"Regina, wait a minute," Emma says while keeping Regina from walking any further. "I don't know why you don't want us to be in touch. I just know that somehow I have a feeling that I want to see you and be with you all the time. I can't explain it. I just know that you're the most beautiful woman I know... I guess it sounds weird, but I really feel attracted by you." She stares directly into the brunettes' eyes.

Regina takes a step back and sinks her head. "I know," she says, looking for the right words to say. "But this is simply ridiculous!" She starts walking again, and Emma follows. The two women walk all the way from Gold's shop to Reginas' house without saying a word to each other. Regina is relieved when they finally reach it.

"Well, here we are," she says to Emma, who is standing right next to her, in front of the entrance.

Emma smiles happily. She feels like a young boy who just brought his crush home after their first date and is now desperately waiting for their first kiss. Even a small kiss on the cheek would make her incredibly happy.

"Well ...", Emma says, sounding full of expectations. Maybe she would get the kiss she's longing for, or maybe Regina would even offer her to come inside.

"Go.", Regina says with a dominant sound in her voice.

Emmas' smile turns into a look of disappointment. "Alright," she says while turning her back on Regina and walking away from her house.

Regina steps inside the house and closes the door behind her. For a moment, she feels as if she had enjoyed Emma to come inside and spend some time with her. She wonders if it was really necessary to let her go away like this, without a word of good-bye. But in the next moment already, she thought to herself that it was better that way. Where could it possibly lead to have Emma, who obviously is very much in love with her due to the love charm, stay over for coffee?


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter III**

* * *

Later that night, the bell rings at Reginas' place.

"Now, let me guess who this might be," Regina mumbles to herself while walking towards the door.

"Miss Swan! What a pleasant surprise!" Regina says with an ironic tone in her voice, hoping that Emma would understand that she is not welcome.

Emma smiles happily and hands a small box of sweets to Regina. "Hello, beautiful," she says. "You look wonderful!"

Regina looks down at herself and wonders what should be so wonderful about her look. She wears a grey skirt and a blue satin blouse, nothing special, just the usual look. "Did we have an appointment, Miss Swan?" she asks the blonde.

"No," Emma replies. "I just thought that you might like some company with Henry being asleep already."

"I did not ask for company," Regina says.

Emma sighs. "Don't tell me you're happy, being by yourself every night. Let me join you. We can watch a movie together, or cook something. What ever it is that you'd like to do, I'm ready to do it. So ... Can I come in? ... Please!" She tries to put the cutest look on her face she can possibly have, hoping that Regina would accept.

Regina thinks Emmas' strange wish over and over, really wanting to say "no", but then again she can't help but noticing the cute impression on Emmas' face. She looks up and down on the blonde woman, who somehow really looks different tonight. No sign of skinny jeans, a tight top or the red leather jacket that Regina dislikes so much. Emma is dressed in a lovely pink skirt, a pretty white blouse and a pink jacket, her hair tied up to a bun, which makes her almost look sexy.

Disappointed of herself to think of Emma as "sexy", Regina gets torn out of her thoughts. "Alright then, come in," she says to Emma. "But only for a short time, this will not be a sleep over!"

Emma is absolutely excited. Again, she feels like a teenage boy, staying at his crushs' house for the very first time. "So, what is it that you'd like to do tonight?" she asks Regina.

"Well, actually I'd just sit in the living room and watch some TV," Regina replies.

"Alright, then let's do that!" Emma says joyfully and walks towards the living room.

"And that's not ... Boring for you?" Regina asks.

"No, not at all," Emma replies. "I'm just happy to spend time with you." In that moment, the two women look deeply into each others eyes and smile with actually meaning it - for the very first time.

* * *

"I didn't know there'd actually be a show on TV that you like as much as I do," Regina says while taking another sip out of her whine glass. She can't believe what a lovely evening it has been so far. Emma and her have been sitting on the sofa, drinking whine, eating sweets and for the first time since they have gotten to know each other they have been talking about something else than Henry. Regina has always thought that Henry is their only common interest, but tonight has shown that this isn't true. Eventhough it still seems kind of hard and unreal to her, Regina admits to herself that this was the best evening that she has experienced ever since she has come to Storybrooke.

"You see," Emma says while putting an arm around Regina, "Life is full of surprises."

"You're the most beautiful woman in the world," Emma whispers in Reginas' ear before she starts kissing her earlobe, from where her mouth makes its way down to her neck, covering it with soft kisses.

Reginas' thoughts go crazy. She doesn't know how to react, what to do or what to say. In a way, she thinks it is wrong to be that close to Emma, but in the next moment she enjoys these soft lips on her neck, and she wonders where they will go next.

Emma seems to notice that Regina is somehow feeling uncomfortable with this situation. "Just let it happen, beautiful. Enjoy it!". Then she touches Reginas' cheeks with both her hands and kisses her passionately on the lips. "Just let it happen," she repeats quietly before she takes off Reginas' blouse and then makes her soft lips wander all over Reginas' body...


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter IV**

* * *

The sun shines into Reginas' bedroom and wakes her up. She turns right and looks at the pretty woman lying beside her. She admits to herself that she has just had the most wonderful night in her whole life, and she has spent it with a woman she didn't even like before. Never before has she experienced so much passion, warmth and love from a person. However, Regina is certain: She is happy - and in love.

She bows over the blonde woman lying next to her. "Good morning, honey," she whispers softly in Emmas' ear.

Emma yawns, then slowly opens her eyes and turns to Regina. Suddenly, an expression of fright comes to her face.

"What the hell?" Emma yells and jumps out of the bed, pressing the blanket tight to her body. "Why the hell am I here? In your bedroom? Naked?" Emma almost screams hysterically.

"Honey, what's wrong?" Regina asks while getting out of the bed and slipping into her dressing gown.

Emma is getting more and more angry with every word that Regina says. "Stop calling me 'honey'!" she yells. "And tell me what's going on here. Did you put something in my drink so you could get me into your bed? Are you that desperate for a fuck?"

Regina nods. Slowly, she starts to realize that this must have something to do with the love charm.

"You don't remember anything, do you?" Regina asks. She doesn't know what to say or do. If Emma doesn't remember anything and the charm has lost its power, it would be useless to tell Emma the truth. The un-enchanted Emma doesn't love Regina - on the contrary, she hates her. If Emma knew what has happened and what Regina feels for her now, she'd only make a fool of Regina - and Regina knows that she does not want to lose her face like that.

"Well..." Regina says, trying to find the right words, "This was just a spell. Nothing happened. I can assure you this."

"Really?" Emma asks. "Then why am I in your bed and we're both naked?" Emma shivers at the thought of having seen her greatest enemy naked.

"I was just feeling lonely and longing for some company. The spell must have gone wrong, and this is the result. I am truly sorry, Miss Swan," Regina says, trying not to sound caring and loving like the night before, but rough like usually. "Now, this is more than embarrassing, so would you please take your clothes and leave my house?"

"There's nothing I'd like to do more right now than this," Emma replies while picking up her clothes and rushing towards the bathroom in order to change them.

"If you ever tell anyone about this, I'll be coming to get you!" Emma yells out of the bathroom.

Regina sits on the edge of her bed, touching the sheets where Emma and her have made love last night, a tear running down her cheek.

* * *

In the afternoon, Regina decides to go for a walk in the park. She hopes that the fresh air can clear her head a little so she can take her mind off Emma for a while, but nothing helps. Why does life always treat her this unfair? Will she never be lucky and happily in love? Now that she has finally had the courage to fall for someone, why did it have to end like this?

Suddenly she notices Henry and Emma walking right towards her. She wonders what to do. Turning around and walking away would be too obvious, and it would seem strange for Henry and bring up loads of awkward questions, so she decides to walk on.

"Hey, Mommy," Henry says. "How come you're in the park?"

"I just felt like I needed some fresh air, darling," Regina requites. "Will you be home for dinner?"

"Sure," Henry replies. "Emma just picked me up from school and we're going to her place for a cup of tea now. Sorry, I should've asked you before."

"That's alright. Just be home for dinner," Regina says while smiling at Henry. Then her eyes wander to Emma, who really seems to be back to normal - no nice skirt and blouse, but the good old skinny jeans, tight top and that red leather jacket that Regina used to hate so much. Now she wished that she could just touch it and smell it for a brief second.

"Take good care of my son, Miss Swan," Regina said with a trembling voice.

Emma just nods towards Regina. "Come on Henry, we've got to buy a piece of cake at Granny's," she says and takes Henrys hand.

"See you later, mom," Henry says as he walks off with Emma.

Regina can't help but having another tear run down her face. Now she knows what unrequited love feels like. A feeling she never wanted to have.

"Now what's the crying about?" Rumple yells from the other said of the park, stepping over the lawn to reach Regina. "I just wanted to let you know that I found the missing ingredient. It was just the blossom of a red poppy. So, you can be relieved, I casted the counter spell in order to make Miss Swan 'back to normal' again. Your stalker is gone and can't remember anything, isn't that wonderful?" He smirks at the sobbing Regina. "Too bad love charms can only be casted once in a person's life, isn't it? Oh, and like you probably recall - 'all magic comes with a price'. I was figuring how much you shall pay me for both of the times I helped you, but now I am pretty sure that you have already paid the agreeable price. All the best for you, Your Majesty." Rumple grins triumphantly at Regina as he walks away from her.

Regina carries on her way, knowing that there is nothing she can do in order to make Emma come back to her. There is no possibility that she can ever cast a love charm again, and getting Emma to love her without magic simply seems impossible. All she now has is the memory of the most passionate night of her life, and the experience that all magic really comes with a high price.

**~ The End ~**


End file.
